Finding an OTA installer

[CubsWin]

I'm considering putting an OTA antenna installed in my attic, but am not comfortable doing it myself. I looked in the phonebook for antenna dealers but didn't find much. Can anyone recommend how to find someone to install an antenna for me, preferably as cheaply as possible? And also do you have a ballpark figure of what I can expect to spend for installation?

 

[8bitbytes]

Which part of the job makes you uncomfortable? Call your local DBS installer and have the antenna and cable ready for them to install - probably $100.00 since that's what running another drop for satellite tv usually runs.

 

[KE4EST]

I bet if you go by some local Satellite shops someone will know somebody. I don't get very many requests anymore, but I also install OTA antennas. Also try TV repair shops.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Any satellite retailer like myself should be able to install an OTA antenna without an issue.

As far as installation it depends. To install a weinguard 7084 with a Rotor and tripod your looking at about $250-$350 depending on whats involved with the install.

If you want to install something simple like a squareshooter, your looking at probably about $100 for the antenna and then $75-$100 to install it

 

[Claude Greiner]

Also keep in mind the higher the peak on the roof, the more money and it may even be a situation where you can't find anyone willing to climb on your roof to install it.

 

[CubsWin]

Any satellite retailer like myself should be able to install an OTA antenna without an issue.

As far as installation it depends. To install a weinguard 7084 with a Rotor and tripod your looking at about $250-$350 depending on whats involved with the install.

If you want to install something simple like a squareshooter, your looking at probably about $100 for the antenna and then $75-$100 to install it

I'm 51 miles out from the Chicago towers and am now considering a Squareshooter, which I could mount on my dish and install myself. Would I be better off going with the SS-2000, or getting an SS-1000 and adding a preamp like the CM 7777? And would a Squareshooter on the roof outperform an attic-mounted 4228?

 

[Tower Guy]

I'm 51 miles out from the Chicago towers and am now considering a Squareshooter, which I could mount on my dish and install myself. Would I be better off going with the SS-2000, or getting an SS-1000 and adding a preamp like the CM 7777? And would a Squareshooter on the roof outperform an attic-mounted 4228?

None of the options that you are considering will get channel 2. At 51 miles from Chicago, you really want a full sized antenna on your roof. The indoor 4228 and the Square Shooter are unlikely to be reliable at 51 miles even with the UHF channels. Depending on your direction from the Windy City, there may be other nearby markets available with an antenna rotator.

 

[CubsWin]

None of the options that you are considering will get channel 2. At 51 miles from Chicago, you really want a full sized antenna on your roof. The indoor 4228 and the Square Shooter are unlikely to be reliable at 51 miles even with the UHF channels. Depending on your direction from the Windy City, there may be other nearby markets available with an antenna rotator.

I'm not interested in getting CBS., since I do have the major local networks through my dish. I mainly want to get WGN and WCIU for the Cubs games in HD. Do you think I could pull that off with the Squareshooter, and if so which model would be best?

 

[dodge]

Square shooter for Hd

If you could tell me where in Chicago you are at, I install ota antenna's in the Aurora Plano area. I would reccomend at least a Channel master 4228 or any 4 bay grid or yagi. Forget the squareshooter too far out. I dont go on 2nd story roofs though.

If you need a second story antenna install try morris antenna service in montgomery.

MORRIS' ANTENNA SERVICE, 630-897-4040. 68 Pueblo Rd Montgomery, IL 60538

 

[Tower Guy]

I'm not interested in getting CBS., since I do have the major local networks through my dish. I mainly want to get WGN and WCIU for the Cubs games in HD. Do you think I could pull that off with the Squareshooter, and if so which model would be best?

There's not yet enough information to answer that question. Please post your zip code and the results from www.antennaweb.org.

 

[CubsWin]

There's not yet enough information to answer that question. Please post your zip code and the results from www.antennaweb.org.

My zip code is 60915 and here are my anntenaweb.org results. I'm mostly looking to get WGN-DT, but if I can get WCIU (which isn't on this list) that's an added benefit. I don't want to mount a 4228 on my roof though, so I'd prefer to take my changes with a Sharpshooter if it's likely that I'll be able to get WGN with it.

red - uhf WYIN 56 PBS GARY IN 63° 27.5 56
* red - uhf WYIN-DT 56.1 PBS GARY IN 63° 27.5 17
red - uhf WJYS 62 REL HAMMOND IN 11° 27.8 62
blue - uhf WXFT 60 TFA AURORA IL 16° 51.4 60
blue - uhf WCIU 26 IND CHICAGO IL 16° 51.4 26
blue - vhf WLS 7 ABC CHICAGO IL 16° 51.4 7
blue - uhf WSNS 44 TEL CHICAGO IL 16° 51.4 44
blue - vhf WMAQ 5 NBC CHICAGO IL 16° 51.4 5
blue - uhf WPWR 50 MNT GARY IN 16° 51.4 50
blue - uhf WWTO 35 TBN LASALLE IL 282° 56.5 35
blue - vhf WTTW 11 PBS CHICAGO IL 16° 51.4 11
blue - uhf WFLD 32 FOX CHICAGO IL 16° 52.9 32
* violet - uhf WFLD-DT 32.1 FOX CHICAGO IL 16° 51.4 31
violet - vhf WCIA 3 CBS CHAMPAIGN IL 206° 78.7 3
* violet - uhf WPWR-DT 50.1 MNT GARY IN 15° 51.4 51
* violet - uhf WMAQ-DT 5.1 NBC CHICAGO IL 16° 51.4 29
* violet - uhf WGN-DT 9.1 CW CHICAGO IL 16° 51.4 19

 

[lunkie]

http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ANTENNAS/comparing.html
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DT968641.html

Take a look at the above links and see what you think. The silver sensor is a better choice than the shooter, with the 2, 4, and 8 bays each better yet

 

[Jim5506]

Hmmm, but the silver sensor rates 2dB lower than square shooter, neither good enough for 50 miles.

 

[lunkie]

Hmmm, but the silver sensor rates 2dB lower than square shooter, neither good enough for 50 miles.

Sorry, as looking at the " so I'd prefer to take my changes with a Sharpshooter if it's likely that I'll be able to get WGN with it."

The Silver S beats the sharpshooter easily. Even compared to the the squareshooter the Silver S has slightly better performance at channels 19 and 27 which, "I'm mostly looking to get WGN-DT, but if I can get WCIU (which isn't on this list) that's an added benefit."
If it's an SS-2000, a good preamp could be added to the Silver S, but like you say, "neither good enough for 50 miles" But when CubsWin says "I don't want to mount a 4228 on my roof though, so I'd prefer to take my changes with a Sharpshooter if it's likely that I'll be able to get WGN with it." There are better and less expensive options. That's why the links in my previous post, guy's got to due some research.

 

[lunkie]

Avatar

Jim5506, nice collinear array, don't see them any more.

 

[Jim5506]

We had one on the house where I grew up. On top of a 40' guyed mast at the peak of the roof with a rotator on top - all in all about 70' AGL. Regularly pulled in VHF TV from 150 miles, occasionally a UHF from 175. Numerous guy wire breaks in high winds finally left it unrepairable after about 30 years of good performance. I'd love to have one to tinker with today.

 

[lunkie]

We had one on the house where I grew up. On top of a 40' guyed mast at the peak of the roof with a rotator on top - all in all about 70' AGL. Regularly pulled in VHF TV from 150 miles, occasionally a UHF from 175. Numerous guy wire breaks in high winds finally left it unrepairable after about 30 years of good performance. I'd love to have one to tinker with today.

70' AGL!!! sweet. And it still stayed up for 30 years! They don't build'em like that anymore. When I was a kid the neighbors across the street from us had one of them arrays too. Never heard them complain about TV reception. My parents were into rabbit ears and tin foil. Short of building one I don't think anyone makes them for TV anymore, might be able to find one for "ham" radio though.